Babylon

Babylon has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available in the US on Paramount Plus Premium. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 3,819 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Diego Calva's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Paramount Plus Premium.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Babylon earns its spot. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Babylon from the crowd. A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, tracing the rise and fall of multiple characters in an era of unbridled decadence and depravity during Hollywood's transition from silent films to sound films in the late 1920s. The chemistry Diego Calva and Margot Robbie bring to it does a lot of the heavy lifting. It was released in 2022. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Babylon holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Babylon is a strong candidate. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Diego Calva is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.